Jalen Cone hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 16 seconds left before Cal ultimately fell to UTEP, 75-72 photo by CK Hicks-Cal Athletics

By Barbara Mason

The California Bears (2-3) trailed at the half against the UTEP Miners (5-0) 40-35. They did win the second half 37-35 but came up just short losing 75-72. The depth on the UTEP roster made a lot of the difference in this game. Cal’s Jaylen Cone hit a three to tie up this game at 72 with 16 seconds left on the clock. UTEP’s Tae Hardy answered hitting a shot from downtown to seal the win as they go unbeaten sending them into the final of the Sand division.

In the Bears loss to Montana they did get some nice work from Jaylon Tyson who scored 27 points and eight rebounds. Fardaws Aimaq had a double-double finishing that game with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Montana offense will be a real challenge for California and the Bears will be keeping an eye on their offensive leader Tae Hardy.

In this game the number of possessions will factor in greatly. The Miners have been smashing the glass this season but Cal has also been successful in this department so that should make for some great competition.

Both of these teams have been struggling from downtown so far this season. It depends which “experts” you talk to because according to one side Cal is favored by two points and if you talk to someone else UTEP is favored by 3.5

Game recap: The Cal Bears vs UTEP contest got underway late Monday night. Cal got a slow start in the opening half. They were four minutes into the game before they hit their first basket. They did take a 19-12 lead mid-way through the half but the Miners erased the Bears lead. They took a 24-21 lead at the eight minute mark and led for the rest of the first half. After the first 20 minutes of game, the Miners held a 40-35 lead.

California hit the first six points of the second half taking the lead but the Miners rallied back. They held a 71-63 lead with 4:20 left on the clock. This game went down to the wire. Cal’s Jaylen Cone hit a three with 16 seconds left in the game to tie it all up at 72. The Bears just came up short when UTEP’s Tae Hardy sealed the win for his team with a shot from downtown; the final was 75-72.

The high for the Cal was Aimaq with 18 points in 27 minutes. Cone who put his team in a great position to take this game had 15 points. The high for UTEP was Tae Hardy with 16 points and the buzzer beater in this wild back-and-forth game with seven ties and 10 lead changes throughout.

Post game notes: Monday night the Bears took on the Miners in the SoCal Challenge at the Pavilion in San Juan Capistrano. This basketball tournament is held during the Monday and Wednesday of Thanksgiving week. The inaugural tournament took place back in 2021.

This was the first meeting between the Golden Bears and the Miners. UTEP started the game as a 3.5 point favorite . In their last game which they won against the Austin Peay Governors 71-63 last Friday night the miners had 20 turnovers. Cal lost a close one last Thursday against the Montana Bobcats 63-60. This game was a close matchup which UTEP won by just three points.

This win sends UTEP into the finals where they will play Bradley on Wednesday. The Cal Bears will play in the consolation round taking on Tulane on Wednesday in another nightcap with tipoff scheduled for 9:30 p.m. PST.